RANGPUR, Sept 8, 2020 (BSS) – Water levels of major rivers continued to rise at comparatively slower rates amid monsoon rains in the Brahmaputra basin during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water levels of major rivers might continue rising due to onrush of water from the upper catchment in the basin during the next 24 hours.
According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB, the northern Bangladesh and adjoining northeastern Indian states of Assam in the Brahmaputra basin witnessed moderate to heavy monsoon rains at places during the last 24 hours.
The recorded rainfalls during the past 24 hours till 9am were 145mm at Jalpaiguri, 66mm at Cherrapunji and 41mm at Gangtok points of the northwestern Indian states in the upstream.
Besides, the rainfalls recorded were 125mm at Jamalpur, 27mm at Chilmari, 26mm at Rangpur and 20mm at Dalia points in northern Bangladesh during the period.
During the last 24 hours till 9am today, water levels of the Dharla rose by 7cm at Kurigram, Ghagot by 16cm at Gaibandha, Brahmaputra by 17cm at Noonkhawa and 5cm at Chilmari and Teesta rose by 15cm at Dalia and 20cm at Kawnia points.
Besides, water levels of the Jamuna rose by 2cm at Fulchhari in Gaibandha, 12cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur, 20cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 25cm at Kazipur and 22cm at Sirajganj points in Sirajganj during the period.
However, all major rivers were flowing below their respective danger marks (DM) at all points in the basin at 9am today.
The Dharla was flowing 75cm below the DM at Kurigram, Brahmanpara by 160cm at Noonkhawa and 130cm at Chilmari, Teesta by 10cm at Dalia and Ghaghot below the DM by 161cm at Gaibandha points at 9 am.
Besides, the Jamuna was flowing below the DM by 136cm at Fulchhari, 140cm at Bahadurabad, 105cm at Sariakandi, 82cm at Kazipur and 102cm at Sirajganj points at 9 am today.
Executive Engineers of BWDB Mokhlesur Rahman for Gaibandha division and Ariful Islam for Kurigram division said no flood situation was created in these districts despite rise in water levels of major rivers during the past couple of days.
While talking to BSS, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh today said water levels of the Dharla, Teesta, Brahmaputra and Jamuna might continue to rise during the next 24 hours.
“However, the Teesta might cross its DM temporarily at Dalia point during the next 24 to 48 hours,” he said, ruling out the possibility of another flood in the Brahmaputra basin in the coming days.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain told BSS that the district administrations and BWDB authorities are closely monitoring the major rivers to take instantaneous steps, if necessary anywhere in Rangpur division.